Revelation 12; Revelation 13; Revelation 14; Revelation 15; Revelation 16; Revelation 17; Revelation 18

Revelation 12

1 A great and miraculous sign appeared in heaven. It was a woman wearing the sun like clothes. The moon was under her feet. On her head she wore a crown of 12 stars.

2 She was pregnant. She cried out in pain because she was about to have a baby.

3 Then another sign appeared in heaven. It was a huge red dragon. He had seven heads and ten horns. On his seven heads he wore seven crowns.

4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky. It threw them down to earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to have a baby. He wanted to eat her child the moment it was born.

5 She gave birth to a son. He will rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was taken up to God and to his throne.

6 The woman escaped into the desert where God had a place prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for 1,260 days.

7 There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back.

8 But the dragon wasn't strong enough. He and his angels lost their place in heaven.

9 The great dragon was thrown down to the earth, and his angels with him. The dragon is that old serpent called the devil, or Satan. He leads the whole world down the wrong path.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven. It said, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God have come. The authority of his Christ has come. Satan, who brings charges against our brothers and sisters, has been thrown down. He brings charges against them before our God day and night.

11 They overcame him because the Lamb gave his life's blood for them. They overcame him by giving witness about Jesus to others. They were willing to risk their lives, even if it led to death.

12 So be joyful, you heavens! Be glad, all you who live there! But how terrible it will be for the earth and the sea! The devil has come down to you. He is very angry. He knows his time is short."

13 The dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth. So he chased the woman who had given birth to the boy.

14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle so that she could fly away. She could fly to the place prepared for her in the desert. There she would be taken care of for three and a half years. She would be out of the serpent's reach.

15 Then the serpent spit water like a river out of his mouth. He wanted to catch her and sweep her away in the flood.

16 But the earth helped the woman. It opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had spit out.

17 The dragon was very angry with the woman. He went off to make war against the rest of her children. They obey God's commands and hold firmly to what Jesus has said.

Revelation 13

1 The dragon stood on the seashore. I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads. There were ten crowns on his horns. On each head was an evil name that was displeasing to God.

2 The beast I saw looked like a leopard. But he had feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority.

3 One of the beast's heads seemed to have had a deadly wound. But the wound had been healed. The whole world was amazed and followed the beast.

4 People worshiped the dragon, because he had given authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast. They asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"

5 The beast was given a mouth to brag and speak evil things against God. The beast was allowed to use his authority for 42 months.

6 He opened his mouth to speak evil things against God. He told lies about God's character and about the place where God lives and about those who live in heaven with him.

7 He was allowed to make war against God's people and to overcome them. He was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

8 All who live on earth whose names have not been written in the Book of Life will worship the beast. The Book of Life belongs to the Lamb whose death was planned before the world was created.

9 Everyone who has ears should listen.

10 Everyone who is supposed to be captured will be captured. Everyone who is supposed to be killed with a sword will be killed with a sword. So God's people must be patient and faithful.

11 Then I saw another beast. This one came out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb. But he spoke like a dragon.

12 He had all the authority of the first beast. He did what that beast wanted. He made the earth and all who live on it worship the first beast. The first beast was the one whose deadly wound had been healed.

13 The second beast did great and miraculous signs. He even made fire come from heaven. It came down to earth where everyone could see it.

14 He did the signs the first beast wanted him to do. In that way the second beast tricked those who live on the earth. He ordered them to set up a statue to honor the first beast. The first beast was the one who had been wounded by the sword and still lived.

15 The second beast was allowed to give breath to the statue so it could speak. He was allowed to kill all who refused to worship the statue.

16 He also forced everyone to receive a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. People great or small, rich or poor, free or slave had to receive the mark.

17 They could not buy or sell anything unless they had the mark. The mark is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

18 Here is a problem that you have to be wise to figure out. If you can, figure out what the beast's number means. It is man's number. His number is 666.

Revelation 14

1 I looked, and there in front of me was the Lamb. He was standing on Mount Zion. With him were 144,000 people. Written on their foreheads were his name and his Father's name.

2 I heard a sound from heaven. It was like the roar of rushing waters and loud thunder. The sound I heard was like the music of harps being played.

3 Then everyone sang a new song in front of the throne. They sang it in front of the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000. They had been set free from the evil of the earth.

4 They had not committed sexual sins with women. They had kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among people as a first offering to God and the Lamb.

5 Their mouths told no lies. They are without blame.

6 I saw another angel. He was flying high in the air. He came to tell everyone on earth the good news that will always be true. He told it to every nation, tribe, language and people.

7 In a loud voice he said, "Have respect for God. Give him glory. The hour has come for God to judge. Worship him who made the heavens and the earth. Worship him who made the sea and the springs of water."

8 A second angel followed him. He said, "Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! The city of Babylon made all the nations drink the strong wine of her terrible sins."

9 A third angel followed them. He said in a loud voice, "Watch out, all you who worship the beast and his statue! Watch out, all you who have his mark on your forehead or your hand!

10 You, too, will drink the wine of God's great anger. His wine has been poured full strength into the cup of his anger. You will be burned with flaming sulfur. The holy angels and the Lamb will see it happen.

11 The smoke of your terrible suffering will rise for ever and ever. Day and night, there is no rest for you who worship the beast and his statue. There is no rest for you who receive the mark of his name."

12 God's people need to be very patient. They are the ones who obey God's commands. They remain faithful to Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven. "Write this," it said. "Blessed are the dead who die as believers in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Holy Spirit. "They will rest from their labor. What they have done will not be forgotten."

14 I looked, and there in front of me was a white cloud. Sitting on the cloud was One who looked "like a son of man."(Daniel 7:13) He wore a gold crown on his head. In his hand was a sharp, curved blade for cutting grain.

15 Then another angel came out of the temple. He called in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud. "Take your blade," he said. "Cut the grain. The time has come. The earth is ready to be harvested."

16 So the one sitting on the cloud swung his blade over the earth. And the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven. He too had a sharp, curved blade.

18 Still another angel came from the altar. He was in charge of the fire on the altar. He called out in a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp blade. "Take your blade," he said, "and gather the bunches of grapes from the earth's vine. Its grapes are ripe."

19 So the angel swung his blade over the earth. He gathered its grapes. Then he threw them into a huge winepress. The winepress stands for God's anger.

20 In the winepress outside the city, the grapes were stomped on. Blood flowed out of the pit. It spread over the land for about 180 miles. It rose as high as the horses' heads.

Revelation 15

1 I saw in heaven another great and miraculous sign. Seven angels were about to bring the seven last plagues. The plagues would complete God's anger.

2 Then I saw something that looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Standing beside the sea were those who had won the battle over the beast. They had also overcome his statue and the number of his name. They held harps given to them by God.

3 They sang the song of Moses, who served God, and the song of the Lamb. They sang, "Lord God who rules over all, everything you do is great and wonderful. King of the ages, your ways are true and fair.

4 Lord, who will not have respect for you? Who will not bring glory to your name? You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you. They see that the things you do are right."

5 After this I looked, and the temple was opened in heaven. The temple is the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant were kept.

6 Out of the temple came the seven angels who were bringing the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen. They wore gold strips of cloth around their chests.

7 Then one of the four living creatures gave seven golden bowls to the seven angels. The bowls were filled with the anger of God, who lives for ever and ever.

8 The temple was filled with smoke that came from the glory and power of God. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Revelation 16

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple speaking to the seven angels. "Go," it said. "Pour out the seven bowls of God's anger on the earth."

2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land. Ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his statue.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. It turned into blood like the blood of a dead person. Every living thing in the sea died.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and on the springs of water. They became blood.

5 Then I heard the angel who was in charge of the waters. He said, "The way you judge is fair. You are the Holy One. You are the One who is and who was.

6 The beast's worshipers have poured out the life's blood of your people and your prophets. So you have given those worshipers blood to drink. That's exactly what they should get."

7 Then I heard the altar reply, "Lord God who rules over all, the way you judge is true and fair."

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. The sun was allowed to burn people with fire.

9 They were burned by the blazing heat. So they spoke evil things against the name of God, who controlled these plagues. But they refused to turn away from their sins. They did not give glory to God.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. The kingdom of the beast became very dark. People bit their tongues because they were suffering so much.

11 They spoke evil things against the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. But they refused to turn away from the sins they had committed.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.

13 Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs. They came out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet.

14 They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs. They go out to gather the kings of the whole world for battle. That battle will take place on the great day of the God who rules over all.

15 "Look! I am coming like a thief! Blessed are those who stay awake and keep their clothes with them. They will not be caught naked. They will not be put to shame."

16 Then the evil spirits gathered the kings together. The place where the kings met is called Armageddon in the Hebrew language.

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. Out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne. It said, "It is done!"

18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, thunder and a powerful earthquake. There has never been an earthquake as terrible as this since man has lived on earth.

19 The great city split into three parts. The cities of the nations crumbled and fell. God remembered Babylon the Great. He gave her the cup filled with the wine of his terrible anger.

20 Every island ran away. The mountains could not be found.

21 Huge hailstones of about 100 pounds each fell from the sky. The hail crushed people. They spoke evil things against God because the plague of hail was so terrible.

Revelation 17

1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me. He said, "Come. I will show you how the great prostitute will be punished. She is the one who sits on many waters.

2 The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways. The people living on earth were drunk with the wine of her terrible sins."

3 Then the angel carried me away in a vision. The Holy Spirit took me into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a bright red beast. It was covered with names that say evil things that are displeasing to God. It had seven heads and ten horns.

4 The woman was dressed in purple and bright red. She was gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup filled with things that God hates. It was filled with her terrible, dirty sins.

5 Here is the name that was written on her forehead. MYSTERY THE GREAT CITY OF BABYLON THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES THE MOTHER OF EVERYTHING ON EARTH THAT GOD HATES

6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God's people. They are the ones who gave witness to Jesus. When I saw her, I was very amazed.

7 Then the angel said to me, "Why are you amazed? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides on. The beast is the one who has the seven heads and ten horns.

8 The beast that you saw used to exist. But now he does not. He will come up out of the Abyss. He will be destroyed. Some of the people who live on the earth will be amazed when they see the beast. Their names have not been written in the Book of Life from the time the world was created. They will be amazed because even though the beast used to exist and now does not, he will come again.

9 "Here is a problem that you have to be wise to understand. The seven heads are seven hills that the woman sits on.

10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is ruling, and the other has still not come. When he does come, he must remain for a little while.

11 "The beast who used to exist, and now does not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the other seven. He will be destroyed.

12 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings. They have not yet received a kingdom. But for one hour they will receive authority to rule together with the beast.

13 They have only one purpose. So they give their power and authority to the beast.

14 They will make war against the Lamb. But the Lamb will overcome them because he is the most powerful Lord of all and the greatest King of all. His appointed, chosen and faithful followers will be with him."

15 Then the angel spoke to me. "You saw the waters the prostitute sits on," he said. "They stand for all the nations of the world, no matter what their race or language is.

16 The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will destroy her and leave her naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.

17 God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose. So they agreed to give the beast their power to rule. They will give him that power until God's words come true.

18 "The woman you saw stands for the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."

Revelation 18

1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority. His glory filled the earth with light.

2 With a mighty voice he shouted, "Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a place where demons live. She has become a den for every evil spirit. She has become a nest for every 'unclean' and hated bird.

3 All the nations have drunk the strong wine of her terrible sins. The kings of the earth took part in her evil ways. The traders of the world grew rich from her great wealth."

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven. It said, "Come out of her, my people. Then you will not take part in her sins. You will not suffer from any of her plagues.

5 Her sins are piled up to heaven. God has remembered her crimes.

6 Do to her as she has done to others. Pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double dose of what she has mixed for others.

7 Give her as much pain and suffering as the glory and wealth she gave herself. She brags to herself, 'I rule like a queen. I am not a widow. I will never be sad.'

8 But she will be plagued by death, sadness and hunger. In a single day they will all catch up with her. She will be burned up by fire. The Lord God who judges her is mighty.

9 "The kings of the earth who committed terrible sins with her will sob. They will be sad because they used to share her riches. They will see the smoke rising as she burns.

10 They will be terrified by her suffering. Standing far away, they will exclaim, " 'How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city! How terrible for you, Babylon, city of power! In just one hour you have been destroyed!'

11 "The traders of the world will cry and be sad over her. No one buys what they sell anymore.

12 Here is what they had for sale. Gold, silver, jewels, pearls. Fine linen, purple, silk, bright red cloth. Every kind of expensive wood. All sorts of articles made out of ivory, valuable wood, bronze, iron and marble.

13 Cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense. Wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat. Cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, human slaves.

14 "The merchants will say, 'The pleasure you longed for has left you. All your riches and glory have disappeared forever.'

15 The traders who sold these things and became rich because of her will stand far away. Her suffering will terrify them. They will cry and be sad.

16 They will cry out, " 'How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and bright red! How terrible for you, great city, gleaming with gold, jewels and pearls!

17 In just one hour your great wealth has been destroyed!' "Every sea captain and all who travel by ship will stand far away. So will the sailors and all who earn their living from the sea.

18 They will see the smoke rising as Babylon burns. They will ask, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?'

19 They will throw dust on their heads. They will cry and be sad. They will cry out, " 'How terrible! How terrible it is for you, great city! All who had ships on the sea became rich because of her wealth! In just one hour she has been destroyed!

20 Heaven, be glad for this! God's people, be glad! Apostles and prophets, be glad! God has judged her for the way she treated you.' "

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a huge rock. It was the size of a large millstone. He threw it into the sea. Then he said, "That is how the great city of Babylon will be thrown down. Never again will it be found.

22 The songs of musicians will never be heard in you again. Gone will be the music of harp, flute and trumpet. No worker of any kind will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again.

23 The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in you again. Your traders were among the world's most important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led down the wrong path.

24 You were guilty of the murder of prophets and God's people. You were guilty of the blood of all who have been killed on the earth."